WATCH: Journey trailer proposes a non-violent game

Each player sets out on a solitary journey across desert sand dunes towards a mysterious mountain.

Thanks to an anonymous multiplayer that introduces fellow travelers at certain points along the way and a clever selection of non-verbal signals, Journey encourages players to consider each other as potential allies rather than hostile enemies.

It's a trick that owes a little something to the thematically opposed cult hit Demon's Souls (and successor Dark Souls), but Journey remains far more interested in promoting a meditative and peaceful mood, exploring both digital and inner worlds.

The game has been available to members of the PlayStation Plus scheme since March 7, with its general release on March 13 in North America, March 14 in European regions, and March 15 in Japan.